Breaking The Habit
by Relatively Unknown
Summary: A songfic about Sano. It's actually a darkish fic, but I hope it's still worth the read. It's about how Sano reacts after a friend dies saving him. The song is by Linkin Park. Plz R/R!


A/N: My first Kenshin fic. It's a songfic of course, since I seem to be pretty good at those. 

Twy: You're the self proclaimed Queen of the Songfic.

CA: Am not. That's what you call me.

Twy: Whatever.

CA: Anyway, this one is about Sano. I guess you could say it's a dark fic, considering  
what's involved.

Twy: The song?

CA: Oh, right. Almost forgot. "Breaking the Habit" by Linkin Park, off their  
awesome CD, Meteora. Here it is!

****

SANITIZED: LYRICS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THIS IS THE FFNET APPROVED, SANITARY, MADE-FOR-KIDDIES VERSION. TO VIEW THE ORIGINAL, GO TO MY SITE AND VENTURE UNDER "THE WORKS" AND THE APPROPRIATE SHOW.

* * *

_MISSING WORDS_

Sanosuke Sagara sat in his room in complete darkness. It suited, considering it was how  
he felt. It had been days, but still... And hiding in the dark wouldn't help him any. But it  
was comforting to him, the cover of night soothing his torn soul. How could this have all  
happened...?

It had been just a regular night out with Katsu, a few drinks, some gambling, and a one or  
two fights. They had been walking towards Katsu's new apartment when a cloaked figure  
attacked. A fight had ensued. Katsu didn't have any of his bombs on him for once, and  
Sano's fists weren't enough. In the end, Sano had had his life saved from the figure's  
sword only to lose Katsu's. He had died there in Sano's arms. The figure had just laughed  
and said that he would get the great Zanza soon enough before vanishing into thin air.  
Sano had stayed there the rest of the night. He couldn't move or think. His friend laid in  
his arms, dead, and it was because of him...

_MISSING WORDS_

Sano shook his head, trying to clear away the memory, but it refused to leave. When  
morning had arrived, he finally gathered up Katsu and walked to his own apartment. He  
laid Katsu out on his bed and let himself cry over his lost friend. He then found a local  
churchman and brought him to his apartment. Last rites and other traditions were done  
and the churchman took Katsu to be buried outside of town.

Why had this happened, Sano wondered the entire time. He hadn't recognized the  
figure or anything about him. And he hadn't been Zanza for such a long time... And even  
if the man had a grudge against him, why mask himself and attack in the middle of the  
night and after all this time? It just didn't make sense... Sano shook his head again. He  
was so confused and his mind and body ached from Katsu's loss. Nothing made sense.

_MISSING WORDS_

His mind wandered to his friends at the dojo. Kenshin, Yahiko, the doc, the girls... even  
Kaoru. How could he look them in the eye and tell them what happened? How he hadn't  
been good enough to save Katsu's life? How could he explain how he couldn't move to  
go after the figure? How... They wouldn't understand. How could they? All he ever did  
was fight with Kaoru and Yahiko over stupid things and with Kenshin over anything. He  
took their food and money and never repaid them. He felt like the scum of the earth and  
knew it was probably true, too. And Katsu had let himself die for Sano. The idiot, Sano  
thought without emotion.

He didn't even know if it was worth going after the guy. He said he would come for  
Zanza, and Sano didn't doubt it. What had he done? What haven't I done would be more  
appropiate, he thought. Sano closed his eyes and let the darkness console him...

_MISSING WORDS_

He finally did leave his room, but it was only to go down to the bar and get a few bottles  
of sake. The bartender let him put it on his tab and didn't complain-- something in Sano's  
eyes must have made him do so. Sano took the bottles and ran back to his room,  
slamming the door shut behind him and locking it. For extra measure he put everything  
he had in his tiny room against it and sat in the corner. He had already drunk his entire  
backup sake supply, which comprised of about five bottles. He soon added the three he  
had just got to the number on the floor.

There, in the corner, drunk from more sake than he had ever drank before at once, Sano  
began to think of a plan and tried to remember who the figure could possibly be. But  
every time he tried it brought back the image of Katsu in his arms, so he soon forsake that  
part and focused on a plan. He would stay here until the figure showed up. Then he would  
return what Katsu had given him so many times before... Life.

_MISSING WORDS_

He didn't have to wait long. His door was cut open by two quick strikes with a sword and  
the figure walked in. Sano stood. Despite being drunk he did not waver or gave any  
indication; in fact, he seemed to be completely sober and on high alert. He went into a  
fighting stance and waited.

"Do you honestly think you can beat me with just your fists? It cost you your friend's life  
last time. This time the death will be yours," the figure laughed mockingly.

"Before we begin this dance, I have to know... Who are you? What is your fight with  
me?"

"Who am I? Why Zanza, I am nobody. Just a shadow who wants to be known as the one  
who killed the almighty Zanza the Gangster," the figure said. More laughter. Sano's sight  
flamed red. He's after me just for my name! And Katsu died because of it. This man has  
no honor, and I will give him none, he thought bitterly.

_MISSING WORDS_

"The name of Zanza will die here tonight, whether it is with my blood or yours. I will not  
have others die because of it. There has been enough blood spilled on that name; no  
more."

Sano lunged at the figure, surprising him, but not for long enough. A few seconds later  
saw Sano knelt on the floor, a slash across his stomach. His trademark bandages fell,  
revealing old scars and the new wound. The figure began to laugh, but Sano would have  
none of it. Ignoring the pain he lept up and lunged again, this time catching the figure off  
guard long enough to get a few hits in. Soon though the sword overcame his fists and he  
was on the floor once again, two more slashes on his body.

"Is that all you got!" the figure yelled at him. Sano growled and stood. "You truly are  
Zanza..."

"My name is not Zanza!" Sano screamed and attacked. He was no match and was  
kneeling on the floor. He knew it was time for him to join his friend. He beared the pain  
and was prepared to leap up again-- he was going to go down fighting-- when he was  
kicked by the figure and kept down on the floor.

_MISSING WORDS_

"And so it ends..." Sano looked up to see the figure raising his sword, ready to kill him.  
He closed his eyes, unable to keep them open. He heard the clang of swords and opened  
his eyes just enough to see a flash of red before passing out.

* * *

Sano awoke and stared at the ceiling. He was alive! But how? Everything was blurry. The  
last thing he remembered was a night out on the town and drinking and gambling... and  
Katsu... Sano felt sharp pain, but it was to his heart, not his body. He remembered now.  
Katsu dying in his arms, the figure, the fight, and a flash of red... Kenshin, he thought.

"Sano?" He looked over to see Kaoru. She rushed over to his side and hugged him.  
Surprised, he just laid there. He noticed that she was crying.

"Oy, Missy, what's wrong?"

"Wrong? Wrong! You almost died, that's what's wrong!" She said, sitting up. "When  
Kenshin brought you back everyone thought you were dead! If it wasn't for both Dr.  
Genzai and Miss Megumi you would be!" She wiped her eyes and softened her voice.  
"Kenshin told us about Katsu and the assassin. Sano... He got away. Kenshin didn't go  
after him for fear you would be gone by the time he returned. I'm so sorry, Sano. I know  
how close you and Katsu were," she said.

Sano laid there and stared at the ceiling. He had cried his tears for his friend already; there  
would be no more. He was brought out of his reverie by a light punch to his arm. He  
looked up at Kaoru. "That's for not coming to us and not telling us and for almost dying!"  
she told him, glaring. He saw through it, though. He smiled and she gave him a small one  
in return before leaving. He went back to the ceiling.

_MISSING WORDS  
_

He would avenge his friends death, and if it meant that he would be killed, then so be it.  
But he would not die under the name of Zanza. No, that name did die that night. He broke  
its hold and it would never reign with him again. And neither would he kill the figure.  
No, I will take the same vow as Kenshin. I have killed enough, and I will never kill  
again. Killing is a habit that consumes your soul, and I will not have mine taken. Sano  
sighed and closed his eyes. He would regain his strength and find the figure and give what  
was his due. For Katsu. For himself. For everything worth fighting for...

_MISSING WORDS_

* * *

CA: I tried. I don't think many people will like it.

Twy: Almost hard to believe that Sano is your favorite, ne?

CA: I know. But I like him and this song seemed to work at the time. Oh, well. I'll let the  
readers decide.

Twy: Okay, all you readers, what do you think? R/R and make CrazyAce a happy author.  
Flame and they will be redirected to the Battousai and made sure that they arrive when  
he's in a bad mood.

CA: Ignore her on that last half. She just says that to be a bit--

Twy: Hey! You're dead!

CA: _sweatdrop_ R/R! Bye!


End file.
